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  • in Recipes

    5 Comforting Dinners to Make this Fall

    This post is written in partnership with Red Gold Tomatoes. 
    When the weather cools and cooking dinner means comforting mains, we turn to hearty soups, cheesy casseroles and chili.
    But first we turn to the pantry, your best friend when it comes to cooking dinner in the fall. Cans of steam packed fresh tomatoes, a variety of beans, and a few different pastas make dinner a cinch to get on the table.
    Cans of American grown diced tomatoes truly anchor these dinner recipes: With unforgettable true tomato flavor and nothing artificial, they make the meal time and time again. Let’s get cooking! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Drink

    Episode 163 – Cocktail Ingredients You've Never Heard Of

    One trend in the 1800s that sort of paved the way for soda fountains is the popularity of sparkling water as a health tonic. Even before the soda shop became a mainstay of American culture, the wealthy elite were huge fans of drinking flavored fizzy waters to alleviate their headaches, or other little maladies. But, as technology continued to evolve, soda fountains became much easier to install and maintain in public venues.
    This represents another thread in the intertwined history of booze and medicine. These soda fountains resided in pharmacies partially because druggists already had the tools and knowledge to create concentrates and carbonate them. But if you give a pharmacist a soda rig, it turns out, he’s really likely to start throwing things like booze, cocaine, or opium in your soda. And around the turn of the 20th century, all these things were still considered medicinal in their own ways.
    Another movement that was taking off around this time, of course, was the temperance movement, which is a bit too complex to get into here, but the general thrust of it is that alcohol was considered bad for families, so if, as a politician or public figure, you claimed to be pro-family, well, to the temperance movement and the anti-saloon league, that meant you kinda had to be anti-booze. This is why soda shops were able to continue thriving during Prohibition because even though pharmacies were putting some really questionable stuff into some of their concoctions, it wasn’t alcohol, so it was pretty okay.
    As the decades marched on past the roaring twenties, into the Great Depression, then World War II, and beyond, the ingredients used in fountain drinks got less dangerous and a little more desserty. But one tangy category of drink that remained somewhat popular was the phosphate or “acid phosphate.”
    In a similar way that you’ll see fancy bartenders today making acid adjusted orange juice or crystal clear daiquiris using a blend of citric and malic acid, phosphate soda drinks were carbonated long drinks, often flavored with fruit syrups, with the addition of a little tincture that contained food-safe phosphoric acid supplemented with calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
    According to cocktail writer Wayne Curtis:

    Acid phosphate does two bewitching things to a drink: The acid gives it sourness without making it taste like anything in particular. And the salts enhance existing flavors, much as they do with food. The various elements of the drink (sweet, sour, bitter, sharp) are each discernible, but none is overwhelming. Adding a teaspoon or so of acid phosphate makes a cocktail seem slightly off center, and makes your tongue tingle.

    Today, many savvy bartenders use acid phosphate in a similar manner to what Curtis describes – as that little pinch of acid and salt that brightens a flavor profile and accents the other notes in the drink. The first time I had one was probably around 2013 or 2014 at a brunch spot in DC called “Founding Farmers,” and I gotta say, it was a refreshing way to extend that old brunch time tradition, the hangover cure.
    Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia
    Speaking of hangovers, don’t forget about aromatic spirit of ammonia, our other chemical cocktail ingredient of note. According to an article on ArtOfDrink.com, it’s a 10% solution of ammonium hydroxide, mixed with water, alcohol and the essential oils of lemon, nutmeg and lavender.
    Back in the 1800s, aromatic spirit of ammonia was used as OG smelling salts to prevent fainting or revive someone who has already fainted. In fact, they’re still available today at many pharmacies right alongside the heavily ammoniated smelling salts found in first aid kits. This compound was also said to have anxiety reducing properties, which may be explained away by the placebo effect. But one thing is for darn sure: ammonia is a base, which means it neutralizes acidity, so if there’s one thing I could actually see this substance being useful for, it would be dyspepsia.
    Although aromatic spirit of ammonia isn’t nearly as popular behind the bar as acid phosphate, it does have its signature drink: the ammonia coke. By adding just 2 or 3 milliliters to a standard glass of coke, you’ll notice a marked drop in acidity from the cola, as well as some pleasant “top notes” from the lemon oil, lavender, and spices.
    This is one additive I’d like to see used more behind the bar because I really dig the way it acts as both a flavored tincture and a pH modifier. Rarely are you going to come across ingredients that pull double duty so effortlessly, which is, I think, a really solid reason for folks to start experimenting.
    The Sourtoe Cocktail Club
    Rounding out this little romp through often-overlooked and esoteric cocktail ingredients, we’ve got a real stinker: the preserved medial and distal phalanges of the human hallux, which is another way of describing a pickled human toe.
    As you might expect, pickled toes aren’t super popular in the craft cocktail world. It’s not like you can just order one as the garnish for your next Gibson or Dirty Martini. But one particular pickled human toe was the inspiration for a Canadian group called the Sourtoe Cocktail club.
    For more about this obscure ingredient, I need to quote directly from an article from CBC Canada, which reads:

    The Sourtoe Cocktail is practically a rite of passage for visitors to Dawson City, Yukon. It’s a simple drink (a shot of whiskey, usually Yukon Jack) with an unusual accompaniment: a mummified human toe. 
    How did the Sourtoe cocktail come to be? It all started during prohibition, with a nasty case of frostbite. 
    In the 1920s, the rum-running Linken brothers — Louie and Otto — got caught in a blizzard. Louie put his foot through a patch of ice and soaked his foot. When the brothers got back to their cabin, Louie’s right foot was frozen solid.  
    To prevent gangrene, Otto used his axe to chop off Louie’s toe. He placed the toe in a jar of alcohol to commemorate the event. 
    In 1973, legend has it that Captain Dick Stevenson found the jar (and the toe) in a remote cabin.
    He came up with the idea of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club — an exclusive club, with one membership requirement.
    In order to gain admittance to the club, potential members must drink the legendary sourtoe cocktail. There’s just one rule: “You can drink it fast. You can drink it slow. But your lips must touch that gnarly toe.

    Now, if you didn’t think this story could get any weirder – of course, you’re wrong. Because in 2013, a…wait for it…New Orleanian named Joshua Clark came in and SWALLOWED the mummified toe of Louie Linken.
    This put him on the shit list of toe master Terry Lee, and although they have been able to continue the tradition with a “backup toe” since that fateful day, the damage was done. Clark immediately paid the $500 fine for swallowing the toe, but was subsequently banned from the Downtown Hotel where the tradition continues to take place.
    There’s a really fun 20 minute documentary about this whole situation on YouTube – which we’ll embed on the show notes page – where Joshua returns to Dawson City, Yukon in an effort to make amends with the toe master. It’s actually a really great little watch, especially if you have a drink in-hand, so I won’t spoil it for you in case you’d like to see for yourself how this story concludes. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Ranch-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

    Family-Friendly

    Crispy Ranch-roasted chicken, tender veggies, and crunchy croutons make for one stellar sheet-pan supper. Swap out any seasonal veggies you like and dinner is served!

    This post is written in partnership with Hidden Valley® Ranch.
    Sheet pan suppers are music to a busy parent’s ears, and this recipe sets the bar pretty high.
    The star of this all-in-one supper is chicken dusted with flavorful HIDDEN VALLEY® ORIGINAL RANCH® SEASONING & SALAD DRESSING MIX SHAKER.
    You haven’t tried the seasoning yet? Imagine buttermilk, onion, garlic, parsley, and dill all in one shake.

    How Do You Make Ranch-Roasted Chicken?
    Easy! So easy. The chicken thighs are brushed with a tangy honey and vinegar glaze to complement the seasoning, and then baked on top of colorful peppers and potatoes.
    Crispy, crunchy bread pieces tossed in some of the glaze add the final touch. And who can say no to crispy and crunchy?

    What’s the Best Chicken to Use?
    Skin-on chicken thighs on the bone bring a ton of flavor and juiciness to this dish. You can quickly and easily trim excess fat and skin with scissors, making for a healthy dinner option.
    Which Veggies are Best?
    The nice thing about this recipe is you can really use any veggies you’d like – you’ll just need to adjust the cook time accordingly.
    Here, we’re using peppers and potatoes which both need extra time to cook on the front end to ensure they’re tender at the same time the chicken is finished cooking.
    Then dinner is done, all in one. No arguments here!

    Ranch-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

    Ingredients
    1/4 cup olive oil, divided, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons more for roasting 
    2 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
    2 sweet yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
    1 pound baby yellow potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon honey
    8  bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
    2 teaspoons HIDDEN VALLEY® ORIGINAL RANCH® SEASONING & SALAD DRESSING MIX SHAKER
    3 thick slices of sourdough bread
    Chopped parsley (for garnish, optional)

    Method

    1 Preheat the oven to 400ºF: Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the oil on the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet.
    2 Roast the peppers and potatoes: Place the peppers and potatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
    Toss to coat the vegetables and spread them in one layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

    3 Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, and honey until combined.

    4 Prepare the chicken: With scissors, trim the excess fat from the chicken. Place on a cutting board with the skin side up. Brush with the glaze. 

    5 Season and bake the chicken: Remove the sheet pan from the oven and nestle the chicken pieces into the vegetables with the skin side up. Sprinkle the thighs with the HIDDEN VALLEY® ORIGINAL RANCH® SEASONING & SALAD DRESSING MIX SHAKER.
    Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes longer.
    6 Prepare and toss the bread pieces in the glaze: Tear the bread into shaggy 1-inch chunks. Place them in the bowl with the remaining glaze and toss to coat.
    7 Finish roasting the chicken with the bread pieces: Remove the pan from the oven. Place the bread pieces around the chicken, and continue to bake for 15 minutes, or until the chicken pieces and bread are browned and crisp. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley, if you like.

    Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    How to Cook Quinoa

    Tired of clumpy, wet quinoa? Worry no more! Cook the lightest, fluffiest quinoa in 20 minutes; then add it to salads, bowls, and wraps. It keeps well in the fridge, so make a big batch, and use this gluten-free, protein-rich “grain” all week!

    Nutty, earthy, and packed with fiber and protein, quinoa is a healthy grain that you can use in pilafs, soups, casseroles, and salads. Splash your favorite milk and a spoonful of honey into a bowl of quinoa to make a great breakfast cereal too.
    This grain is so versatile that if you cooked quinoa every week, you could never use it in the same recipe twice!

    WHAT IS QUINOA?
    Quinoa “grains” are actually the seeds from an annual flowering plant in the amaranth family, most closely related to spinach.
    Familiar grains like rice and wheat are seeds from grasses, and they have a different structure (bran, germ, and endosperm), so technically quinoa is classified as a pseudo-cereal, since it is neither a grain nor a cereal.
    The cultivation of quinoa originated in the Andes region of South America, but it is now grown throughout the world. Its short cooking time, mineral-rich content, and protein value (8 grams per cooked cup) has made it a sought-after alternative to other grains. Quinoa is also gluten-free, which is one more reason for its popularity.
    You’ll find quinoa in many colors, from white, to brown, to red, and purple. They are interchangeable in cooking, and it would be hard to distinguish the taste difference among the many colors.

    WHAT MAKES QUINOA BITTER?
    Quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, makes the grain taste soapy or bitter. A quick, vigorous rinse under cold running water removes the bitterness.
    Even if a package says the quinoa has been rinsed, it’s always a good idea to rinse it anyway. A fine mesh strainer and the spray nozzle on your sink should do the trick.
    HOW TO MAKE FLUFFY, NOT CLUMPY, QUINOA
    Because it is a seed, quinoa absorbs water differently than other grains. To make it fluffy, cook it uncovered at a low simmer. Once it’s tender and no water remains in the bottom of the pot, cover it.
    Let it steam with the lid on to finish absorbing any excess the water. Some water evaporates while cooking with the pot uncovered, so the cooked quinoa does not get soggy or clumpy.

    HOW TO USE UP QUINOA
    I like to make quinoa early in the week and use it in a salad with whatever vegetables or leftovers I have in the fridge.
    I love cooked quinoa for a healthy hot or cold breakfast, mixed with almond milk and a little maple syrup and topped with berries. I’ve also used cooked quinoa in turkey meatballs in place of breadcrumbs. Or just serve it alongside your favorite chicken, fish, or steak recipe.
    HOW TO STORE COOKED QUINOA
    Leftover cooked quinoa stored in an airtight container will last up to five days in the refrigerator and two months in the freezer.
    TRY THESE DELICIOUS QUINOA RECIPES LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs

    Porcupine meatballs are a classic retro dinner, made easier and quicker in the Instant Pot! Ground beef and rice meatballs are served in a simple tomato sauce. (No porcupines!) This is an easy 30 minute dinner.

    Photography Credit: Coco Morante

    Don’t worry – these meatballs aren’t actually made out of porcupines! The name refers to the grains of rice that get mixed in with the meatballs and poke out as they simmer, resembling spines on a porcupine.
    With rice and meat all in one dish, you just need a vegetable side to complete the meal.

    What are Porcupine Meatballs?
    This recipe is an update on a classic 1970s Betty Crocker dish, Oven Porcupines. The original version is baked in the oven for an hour, but my recipe is made in an Instant Pot (I’ve included stovetop instructions, too).
    These pressure cooker meatballs are done in about half the time of the original, making it perfect for a midweek meal.

    What to Serve with Instant Pot Meat Balls
    My favorite way to serve these porcupine meatballs is with mixed steamed vegetables on the side. You know that classic frozen mix of carrots, corn, peas, green beans and lima beans? I microwave a big bowl of them while the meatballs are cooking, so everything is done at the same time.
    I also like to serve these meatballs on top of spiralized zucchini noodles, or with riced cauliflower. For a retro dinner a la Betty Crocker, serve them with iceberg wedge salads and steamed green beans.

    New to Pressure Cooking?
    If you’re new to pressure cooking, an electric, programmable model is a great place to start. There are a few well-rated brands on the market. I use the 6-quart Instant Pot IP-DUO60 most of the time, which is a good size if you’re serving 4 to 6 people. We’re a household of two and we like having leftovers, so this size works out well for us.

    From the editors of Simply Recipes

    How to Store and Freeze Porcupine Meatballs
    These meatballs keep in the fridge for up to a week. They can be reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
    They also freeze well! Once the meatballs are completely cooled, divide them into portion sized freezer containers and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
    Love Meatballs? Try These Recipes!

    Updated September 6, 2020 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle. No changes to the original recipe.

    Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs Recipe

    Stovetop Instructions: Sauté half of the onions and garlic in oil in a thick-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, water, and Worcestershire sauce, increasing the water to one full cup. While the sauce is coming up to a simmer, make the meatballs. Drop the meatballs into the simmering sauce, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 45 minutes.

    Ingredients
    2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
    1 medium yellow onion, chopped (reserve half)
    2 cloves garlic, minced (reserve half)
    1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
    1/2 cup water
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 pound ground beef (85% lean)
    1/2 cup long grain rice
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Method

    1 Sauté the onion and garlic: Select the “Sauté” program on your pressure cooker and add the oil to the pot. (If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium heat.) Add half of the chopped onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are softened and translucent, about five minutes.

    2 Make the tomato sauce: Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Let this warm until it comes to a simmer.

    3 Make the meatballs: While tomato sauce is coming up to a simmer, make the meatballs. In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, rice, salt, pepper, and the rest of the chopped onions and garlic. Roll into ping-pong ball-sized meatballs (1 1/2 inches or so).

    4 Cook the meatballs: Gently place the meatballs in to the pot a single layer. Spoon a little bit of sauce over the top of each one.
    Place the lid on the pressure cooker. Make sure the pressure regulator is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” program, then set the time to 15 minutes at high pressure. (For stovetop pressure cookers, cook at high pressure for 12 minutes.)
    It will take about 10 minutes for your pressure cooker to come up to pressure, and then the actual cooking will begin. Total time from the time you seal the pressure cooker to the finished dish is about 25 minutes.

    5 To serve: You can either perform a quick pressure release by moving the vent from “Sealing” to “Venting,” or you can let the pot depressurize naturally (this takes about 20 minutes), then open it when you’re ready to serve the meatballs. (For stovetop pressure cookers, perform a quick pressure release.)

    Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

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    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Need a Reason to Party? Celebrate September Food Holidays with These 5 Easy Dinner Ideas

    This month welcome Sara Bir. Sara Bir is the author of two cookbooks, Tasting Ohio and the IACP award-winning The Fruit Forager’s Companion. She also moderates and replies to your comments here on Simply Recipes. Follow her @sausagetarian.
    People love food holidays, but ever wonder what the point is? You know what I’m talking about: National Pecan Cookie Day. National Mushroom Month. International Bacon Day.
    Optimally, the point is fun. Yes, most food holidays are contrived and arbitrary, brainstormed by a marketing board or social media consultant. (Like why is National Strawberry Cream Pie Day on September 2, when strawberries are totally out of season?) But they give us an excuse to celebrate the foods we love. And who isn’t hungry for a reason to celebrate?
    No, this meal plan does not sync the recipes with the actual dates of the holidays—otherwise, we’d have you eating milkshakes, crème de menthe, and cream-filled donuts for dinner three days in a row. Our meal plan is simply inspired by September food holidays. National I Love Food Day falls on September 9, and I’m sure we’ll all be observing, whether we know it or not.
    One last thing: Looking for dinner ideas? You’re in the right spot! We have delicious meal plans to suit every taste and lifestyle—Healthy Eating, Family Favorites, and Vegetarian just to name a few. These one-month plans are $6.95 and, with them, you get a dessert and weekend prep recipe and a shopping list. They’re beautifully designed and perfect to print and save or simply load and cook right from your computer! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Why I Love the Sweese Butter Dish

    Kitchen ToolsOne Simply Terrific Thing

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    Welcome to One Simply Terrific Thing, our ongoing series highlighting the small tools and kitchen goods that make life better!

    I went a very, very long time without a butter dish.
    There’s no good reason why. I just never got one, even as I winced every time I crumpled the ends of a butter wrapper to close it back up, smearing a bit of butter on my hands in the process, and knowing some of that butter was going to end up smeared along the bottom of my refrigerator drawer, too.
    It was an ineffective system that I have now remedied thanks to the large ceramic Sweese butter dish ($21 from Amazon).

    I like its classic looks and the tight-fitting beech lid, which has a silicone ring seal you can also remove if you just want the top to rest loosely on the container.
    But most of all I love its size: it measures 6″ x 3.5″ by 2.7″ inches, which means it’s deep and wide enough to hold two standard sticks of butter (four if you really pushed it) or one European-style stick of butter, like Kerrygold or Plugra. It’s really more like a bowl for butter, and because it’s so deep it also prevents butter from hitting and sticking to the lid – a mess-free bonus! And while you have to hand-wash the lid, the container can be put in the dishwasher. (Yay!)
    When I’m in bread-baking mode and baking a couple loaves a week, I just keep the butter container on my counter so the butter is always soft and ready to use.
    Claudia has a butter dish very similar to this, and is also a major fan:

    I love that I can scoop the butter out rather than have the butter sit on a tray. It also holds a lot of butter (which is great for my family) and stays clean thanks to it being more of a bowl. I also leave it on my counter. I haven’t had an issue with butter going bad, but we go through a lot of it!

    Cheers to good tools that solve messy problems!

    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

    Cambria Bold
    Cambria Bold is the Product and Lifestyle Director for Simply Recipes. She has almost a decade’s worth of online editorial experience and know-how, first as the Managing Editor for Apartment Therapy’s green living site Re-Nest (RIP) and later as the Design and Lifestyle Editor for The Kitchn. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and their two little girls. And, yes, this is her real name.
    More from Cambria LEGGI TUTTO